Blue Archive - An Otherworldly Sensei

Another morning and another academy had been visited, this time, Ja'vassa had stopped by the Millenium Science Academy to partake in another technological lesson courtesy of Veritas; even their former president had graced them with her presence. Out of respect for him, they tried to start out simply enough by showing him more of the basics. How to copy and paste text, identifying suspicious links, and general internet safety were the main focuses of the day, but before he knew it, the topics they delved into slowly became more and more confusing. Copying and pasting text quickly delved into more complicated topics revolving every little trick and secret of the document softwares they enjoyed using so much, and those Ja'vassa tried his best to follow along, they moved far too quickly for him to keep up with. Despite struggling to keep up with the nonstop flow of information, Ja'vassa tried his best. If he was truly to call Kivotos his home for an extended period of time, then he'd need to be able to keep up with the advanced technology his students used. Learning the ovens and modern kitchen appliances from Fuuka was one thing, but these computers and phones almost seemed unreal to him. The fact that somehow, they were able to make all of these weird machines do these incredible feats all without magic was simply something he couldn't get his head around, but he'd try nonetheless. Morning quickly turned to afternoon and by then, Veritas had run out of time to spare for him. Kotama promised she'd stop by SCHALE in the future to help him further, though in reality, she wanted to strengthen the wiretapping devices she placed in his office days prior. Ja'vassa was still completely unaware that Veritas had been secretly listening to his conversations, not that it mattered, as he rarely discussed anything of great importance. Today wasn't a total success, but by this point, he at least knew more of the basics and as a bonus, he was taught that he could make his emails look even prettier in spite of the autocorrect features desperately trying to change his name to Jason on a regular occasion. After leaving Veritas' office for the day, he decided he'd head back to SCHALE to await for Kotama's planned visit. Though, before he could leave Millenium for the day, he had nearly bumped into Momoi and Midori who had just been returning to the Game Development Department after finishing their extended break. Rather than being upset at nearly being knocked over, Momoi wore a cheerful smile. Maybe she could finally invite Ja'vassa to play some games with him; she was eager to see how well he could do, and maybe get some ideas for their own game development in the process. "Sensei! What are you doing here?" The girl asked, her tone matching the cheerful look on her face. "It's been quite some time since I've seen you two, not since I was last at Millennium." Ja'vassa returned the smile, crossing his arms a bit. "I just finished up some... technology lessons courtesy of Veritas and I was just about to begin heading back to SCHALE." He replied, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. It must've seemed strange to them; a well-established adult being so clueless about simple technologies despite being surrounded by it. "Aw, does that mean you won't have any time left to spend with us?" Momoi asked, her cheerful smile replaced with a subtle pout. "Oh, come now. You know as well as I do that I'll always have time to spare for my students." Ja'vassa reminded her, chuckling softly. Midori rolled her eyes, somewhat surprised that Momoi's faux pout worked so easily on Ja'vassa. "You really are soft, Sensei... but, that's what we love about you." Seeing as he so happily agreed to spend time with them; Momoi had grabbed his left hand while Midori grabbed his right, gladly tugging him behind them back to their clubroom. Given that he was still a complete amateur when it came to the simple computers and phones that were present in virtually every aspect of life in Kivotos, it should come as no surprise that Ja'vassa had no clue as to how any of this video game stuff worked, the various consoles laid out on the ground and the posters did little to his confusion. Though, a certain, vaguely reminiscent poster caught his attention. "The Senior Tales V? That's... an interesting one. That... cat almost looks like someone I knew back home." Ja'vassa mused; the uncanny similarities were almost disturbing, but he wrote it off as nothing more than a strange coincidence. "It's a great game, Sensei! It revolves around the player traveling across a snowy landscape while saving the world from the vicious dragons. The poster is custom made; based on a screenshot of our own game." Momoi said proudly, not even registering how eerily similar it was to his own story. "Let me guess, does the player use Shouts, too?" Ja'vassa asked, looking towards them with a slightly awkward expression. "Yeah! I had no idea you've played it before, Sensei." Midori's shyness was temporarily replaced with some excitement at the idea that he shared similar interests. "Vicious dragons, a snowy landscape, the player Shouts..." Ja'vassa shook his head, chuckling softly. "Midori, I lived through it. I've fought hundreds of dragons, often using my Shouts to my advantage. I hope that's where the similarities end." The twins collectively gasped at this revelation; it should've been obvious, but to hear that his own life was so similar to a game they both loved dearly was exciting. "You'll have to tell us all about your stories, Sensei! Maybe we can talk about it over the games we wanted to show you." They decided it was best to start him off with something simple, popping in a copy of Ultra Clash Sisters into their Flystation, Momoi would hand him a controller. "This game is pretty easy. Your goal is to knock us off the stage without getting knocked off yourself." She explained as she'd set up the first round. The character roster was huge, almost a little overwhelming at first, but he eventually settled on Princess Lucille. She was pretty and she wielded a cool looking sword, that was enough for him. "I've got plenty of stories from my travels. Dealing with dragons, delving into old ruins, leading armies into battle. There was rarely a dull moment back home." He chuckled softly, watching as Momoi got the first round started. Both girls were intently listening to him all while demonstrating their astonishing ability to focus on the screen. Despite promising to take it easy on him, Ja'vassa was defeated in embarrassing fashion within the first minute all without him landing a blow on either sister. Despite the humiliating loss, the old Khajiit found himself laughing a bit. "That didn't go as I planned, but perhaps I just need a few rounds to really figure this stuff out." He shook his head, this time selecting Princess Zinda. "Maybe while we play, can we ask about those ruins you'd explore? Perhaps it'll distract us long enough to give you your first win." Midori suggested in a somewhat teasing tone, though she was genuinely curious about his stories. Ja'vassa laughed at the teasing, and nodded in response. "Most of the ruins across Skyrim were relatively simple.. many of them being old tombs and cities used by the ancient Nords, housing old artifacts and often guarded by the walking dead. I explored them in search of these artifacts, being most intrigued in weapons and the masks of the Dragon Priests. Not every tomb held something of significance, but there was the occasional artifact that raised a few eyebrows, like Labyrinthian.. I had discovered the Staff of Magnus being held by Morokei, one of these undead Dragon Priests. My battle with him nearly killed me, though, it was well worth it in the end." Despite briefly distracting them with the short tale, it wasn't enough to prevent him from losing yet again in humiliating fashion. The idea that Ja'vassa nearly met his end in one of his adventures was frightening, and yet it only intrigued them further. As Momoi started another round, she briefly glanced towards him. "The idea of facing such incredible danger is frightening, but it sounds fascinating... How did this Morokei almost defeat you, Sensei? You're not good at the game, but saw your fight against that Kaiser group on TV.. you looked unbeatable out there. Taking on that giant machine with nothing but your sword." Ja'vassa chuckled softly as he lifted his sleeve, revealing the unusual pattern of fur going up his left arm. "I was caught by surprise and struck me with the Staff of Magnus several times. I'm not sure how I emerged victorious, but I was able to disarm him and eventually destroyed him. I spent days in Labyrinthian trying to recover, only to be met with a Thalmor agent the moment I stepped out of the ruins. That was all about a week before I'd assume the position of Archmage of Winterhold. It was a strange time, but that was a great many centuries again." He explained as he'd cover his arm once more. They stared at the lightning-like stripes of fur on his arm, fascinated by the story he shared with them. Midori looked towards him with sparkles in her emerald green eyes. "Oh, Sensei... I wish I could visit some of those ruins. It'd be like living out the Legend of Zinda in real life..." She giggled softly, leaning against him lightly. Ja'vassa was already going to be returning to Skyrim with Momiji and Fuuka in the near future, perhaps it'd be a bit much to have any others, but given that he had already done something similar with the five Abydos students prior, surely it wouldn't be much different with a few others joining him. He chuckled softly, wrapping his arm around the girl's shoulders as he'd focus on watching the two play, deciding that video games simply weren't for him. "As it happens, I am going to be returning to Skyrim for a few days soon. Perhaps, coming with me might help you girls get a little extra inspiration for your future projects." Ja'vassa suggested, being met with double the sparkling eyes at the moment he finished speaking. "Really, Sensei?! You'd take us with you? That'd be amazing!" Momoi practically jumped out of her seat, "Should we bring anything? What kind of ruins will we explore with you?" She asked, her excitement for their upcoming adventure seemed to increase with each passing second. Even the usually composed and reserved Midori seemed excited about the potential adventure. "Find yourself something warm to wear, carry plenty of ammunition, and only bring what you can't live without. I'd also recommend you be prepared to go a few days without access to your games, Momoi. You won't be able to charge your consoles in Skyrim." Ja'vassa stated as it seems they were less focused on the game and more on the idea of their upcoming adventure. "I suppose we could always try to use shock magic on them to recharge them, but I don't want to be responsible for destroying it..." Gaming was their livelihood, so going for who knows how long without them seemed a bit daunting, but the potential for the inspiration and ideas they'd receive as a result of the adventure far outweighed the temporary loss of their games. "No, don't use magic on them, Sensei, we can survive without them." Momoi assured him, taking her seat once more. "Good. If I remember correctly, I had discovered a map that hinted at the location of the lost of Haknir Death-Brand. Perhaps we could hunt for the treasure he left behind." Ja'vassa suggested, rubbing his chin as he thought about it. "The ash of Solstheim can be a bit annoying, but it has a beauty unlike anywhere else in Tamriel... inspiring views of the Red Mountain." Not only were they going to be exploring a world filled with magic, they were about to search for the lost treasure of a legendary pirate. Everything sounded as if they were about to dive into one of their favorite games. "Oh, Sensei... I almost can't wait for our adventure." Momoi trembled in her seat, practically vibrating with excitement. "Do you know much about this Haknir, Sensei? What kind of treasure did he leave behind?" She asked, leaving absolutely no space between her and her teacher. "I only know of the stories that's been passed down over the centuries. Haknir Death-Brand was a legendary pirate captain that terrorized the Sea of Ghosts. It's said he ruled the open waters and wielded a pair of legendary swords, leaving them along with enchanted armor upon his death. Some claim, his tomb holds perhaps thousands of septims inside. I don't care much for the gold, but I am intrigued to discover the swords he wielded." Ja'vassa explained, not seemingly minding Momoi's close proximity. Legendary weapons, magical armor, more gold than she'd know what to do with. Every word Ja'vassa spoke filled her with more and more excitement, she could hardly contain it for much longer. Imagine all the stories they'd have for Yuzu when they'd return, the things she and Midori could brag to Yuuka about, and of course, spending time with their teacher only made it more intriguing. "Will this exploration be dangerous, Sensei? I mean... you suggested we stock up on ammunition." Despite her growing excitement, Momoi seemed slightly nervous. "Of course it might be dangerous. Solstheim isn't the safest place, and if the stories are to be believed, his tomb will likely be guarded by the spirits of his fallen companions." Ja'vassa confirmed, smiling softly as he noticed the uncertainty in her eyes. "But, don't worry, Momoi. I won't let you or your sister get hurt. You'll be safe." He assured her. The reassurance helped to ease the sudden nervousness, and she figured he was right. So long as she and Midori stayed with him, they had nothing to fear. Momoi stood back up, noticing that it was getting late. "I suppose we should consider getting our things together for the trip. We'll talk to the Engineering Club, maybe they'll be able to help us upgrade our weapons for it..." She stated with a soft giggle, watching Ja'vassa stand up as well. "I know Utaha and Hibiki mentioned wanting to try out some new attachments, maybe she'd let us test them out.. no doubt Kotori's just waiting to give a lengthy explanation of them." Midori mused, looking towards her sister for a moment before returning her attention to Ja'vassa. "Thanks for inviting us, Sensei. We'll be in touch with you soon. Have a safe trip back to SCHALE!" With their final farewells, Ja'vassa nodded at them. "Of course, I'll see you soon. It'll be nice to visit Solstheim again, it's been much too long since I've visited Raven Rock. Just be prepared to wash the ash out of your hair after we finish our adventure." He replied, waving towards them as he'd step out of the Game Development Department clubroom. His visit to Millennium was certainly a productive one to say the least. His lessons from Veritas were progressing nicely, and he even learned how to goof off a bit more thanks to Momoi and Midori, and now, he might finally have an excuse to properly finish up his hunt Haknir Death-Brand's treasure. It wasn't exactly what he had in mind when he invited the other two, but perhaps they'd enjoy the treasure hunt as well. Their trip was in less than a week, and he couldn't be more excited.